Luke 18.11 et al. (PROSEUXOMAI + PROS)

Carl W. Conrad cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu
Tue Dec 11 18:17:00 EST 2001


At 5:41 PM -0500 12/11/01, Polycarp66 at aol.com wrote:
>While working on some web pages I was making a popup reference for one of the
>pages regarding this verse.  As I was doing this I had a rather perverse
>thought.  What does this really mean?  Normally we have understood it to mean
>that the Pharasee was standing BY HIMSELF praying.  I wonder if it might be
>understood to mean that he was praying TO HIMSELF.
>
>11 hO FARISAIOW STAQEIW PROS hEAYTON TAUTA PROSHUXETO, "hO QEOS EYXRISTW SOI
>hOTI OYK EIMI hWSPER hOI LOIPOI TWN ANQRWPWN, hRPAGES, ADIKOI, MOIXOI, H KAI
>hWS hOUTOS hO TELWNHS."
>
>In support of this possibility, I give you Gen 20.17
>
>17 PROSHUCATO DE ABRAAM PROS TON QEON, KAI IASATO hO QEOS TON ABIMELEX KAI
>THN GUNAIKA AUTOU KAI TAS PAIDISKAS AUTOU, KAI ETKON,
>
>So, what do you think?  Is this a reasonable interpretation?

Seems perfectly reasonable to me. Have you noted that KJV has:

 "The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that
I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as
this publican." 

where "with himself" is certainly meant to be construed with "was praying."
It could very well be ironic even, that his prayer was really directed
toward himself, and NOT toward God.

(and by the way, thanks and congratulations)
-- 

Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics/Washington University (Emeritus)
Home: 7222 Colgate Ave./St. Louis, MO 63130/(314) 726-5649
cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu
WWW: http://www.artsci.wustl.edu/~cwconrad/



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